Further information on multiple causes of death is presented in the data cubes associated with this publication. These include the number of associated causes for all 3-character underlying causes, as well as the number of mentions of each cause at the 3-character level of ICD-10.

Number of Multiple Causes

For the 143,473 deaths registered in Australia in 2010, there were 453,319 causes mentioned, giving a mean of 3.2 causes per death. In 18.1% of all deaths, only one cause was reported, while 37.1% of deaths were reported with three or more causes. The mean number of causes reported per death varies with age, sex and underlying cause of death.

Selected Multiple Causes

In 2010, Malignant cancers (C00-C97) contributed to 33.6% (48,205) of all deaths as either an underlying or multiple cause. There were mentions of 59,848 malignant cancers reported in 2010.

Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25) which includes angina, heart attacks, and blocked arteries of the heart, were found to contribute to 26.0% of all deaths as either an underlying or multiple cause.

The following table lists counts of selected causes of death (as opposed to mentions), both underlying and associated causes, appearing on death certificates for deaths registered in 2010.

4.1 SELECTED MULTIPLE CAUSES OF DEATH: 2010(a)(b)(c)

UNDERLYING CAUSE

MULTIPLE CAUSE

Underlying

Proportion of total deaths

Multiple

Proportion of total deaths

Mean no. of causes

Cause of death and ICD code

no.

%

no.

%

no.

All Causes

143 473

n.a.

143 473

n.a.

3.2

Malignant cancers (C00-C97)

42 330

29.5

48 205

33.6

2.5

Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)

21 708

15.1

37 335

26.0

3.5

Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)

11 204

7.8

20 444

14.2

3.1

Dementia and alzhiemer's disease (F01, F03, G30)

9 003

6.3

20 645

14.4

3.1

Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47)

6 122

4.3

15 301

10.7

3.5

Diabetes (E10-E14)

3 945

2.7

14 342

10.0

4.3

Diseases of the kidney and urinary system (N00-N39)

3 315

2.3

19 147

13.3

3.7

Heart failure (I50, I51)

3 468

2.4

20 652

14.4

3.2

Suicides (X60-X84, Y87.0)(d)

2 361

1.6

2 365

1.6

2.7

Hypertensive diseases (I10-I15)

1 734

1.2

19 348

13.5

4.4

Influenza and pneumonia (J09-J18)

2 364

1.6

17 763

12.4

2.4

Land transport accidents (V01-V89, Y85.0)

1 436

1.0

1 481

1.0

2.9

(a) Causes of death data for 2010 are preliminary and subject to a revisions process. See Explanatory Notes 35-39 and Technical Notes, Causes of Death Revisions, 2006 and Causes of Death Revisions, 2008 and 2009.

(b) Data cells with small values have been randomly assigned to protect the confidentiality of individuals. As a result, some totals will not equal the sum of their components. Cells with a zero value have not been affected by confidentialisation.

(c) See Explanatory Notes 89-104 for further information on specific issues relating to 2010 data.

(d) Includes ICD-10 codes X60-X84 and Y87.0. Care needs to be taken in interpreting figures relating to suicide. See Explanatory Notes 98-101.

Relationships between Multiple Causes

Influenza and pneumonia (J09-J18) was identified as the underlying cause for 2,364 deaths in 2010. In 30.8% of cases, Influenza and pneumonia were reported alone.

In contrast, Diabetes (E10-E14) was reported alone as the underlying cause in only 1.7% of the 3,945 deaths attributed to this cause. It was reported more frequently with the associated causes of Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25) including angina, heart attacks and blocked arteries of the heart (50.2%) and Hypertensive diseases (I10-I15, 32.7%).

The following table illustrates relationships between the various causes of death in 2010.

4.2 SELECTED UNDERLYING CAUSES WITH ASSOCIATED CAUSE: 2010(a)(b)(c)

SELECTED UNDERLYING CAUSE

REPORTED WITH SELECTED ASSOCIATED CAUSE

Underlying

Reported alone

Malignant cancers (C00-C97)

Ischaemic heart disease (I20-I25)

Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)

Dementia & alzheimer's disease (F01, F03, G30)

Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47)

Diabetes (E10-E14)

Diseases of the kidney & urinary system (N00-N39)

Heart failure (I50-I51)

Hypertensive diseases (I10-I15)

Influenza and pneumonia (J09-J18)

Cause of death and ICD code

no.

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

All Causes

143 473

18.1

33.6

26.0

14.2

14.4

10.7

10.0

13.3

14.4

13.5

12.4

Malignant cancers (C00-C97)

42 330

35.4

100.0

8.6

3.8

3.3

6.6

6.3

7.5

3.9

6.9

6.7

Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)

21 708

11.6

7.0

100.0

9.2

11.6

10.7

11.3

12.8

27.3

21.5

5.7

Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)

11 204

15.7

4.9

12.1

100.0

18.1

3.5

8.2

6.7

5.4

29.4

11.3

Dementia & alzheimer's disease (F01, F03, G30)

9 003

11.9

4.9

12.1

9.7

100.0

3.5

8.1

11.7

7.5

12.1

30.5

Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47)

6 122

7.2

8.6

18.3

4.8

8.0

100.0

6.9

9.5

18.4

9.4

31.1

Diabetes (E10-E14)

3 945

1.7

6.7

50.2

21.8

15.4

6.9

100.0

29.4

20.9

32.7

7.8

Diseases of the kidney & urinary system (N00-N39)

3 315

7.7

5.0

22.9

7.8

10.0

5.5

10.4

100.0

25.5

5.2

11.7

Heart failure (I50-I51)

3 468

12.2

5.0

2.6

8.1

10.5

11.7

7.8

22.7

100.0

7.6

22.5

Hypertensive diseases (I10-I15)

1 734

5.0

6.8

1.4

7.5

22.2

7.7

8.7

31.7

38.9

100.0

8.6

Influenza and pneumonia (J09-J18)

2 364

30.8

1.3

15.4

1.3

1.1

1.0

6.0

13.2

5.5

5.5

100.0

(a) Causes of death data for 2010 are preliminary and subject to a revisions process. See Explanatory Notes 35-39 and Technical Notes, Causes of Death Revisions, 2006 and Causes of Death Revisions, 2008 and 2009.

(b) Data cells with small values have been randomly assigned to protect the confidentiality of individuals. As a result, some totals will not equal the sum of their components. Cells with a zero value have not been affected by confidentialisation.

(c) See Explanatory Notes 89-104 for further information on specific issues relating to 2010 data.

External Causes

Deaths due to external causes are those which occur as a result of accidents, poisonings and/or violence. They are classified according to the event leading to the fatal injury, such as an accidental fall. Multiple cause data for external causes include the nature of injury or poisoning, as well as any other causes reported on the death certificate. ICD-10 codes in the Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T98) cannot be an underlying cause of death, but can be recorded as an associated cause.

In 2010, there were 13,465 deaths where External causes (V01-Y98) contributed to the death as a multiple cause. There was a mean of 3.5 causes coded for each of the 8,918 deaths with an External cause as the underlying cause of death.

Transport accidents (V01-V99, Y85) accounted for 16.9% of all injuries with an External cause as the underlying cause of death, with 46.3% of these injuries being to the head or thorax (S00-S09, S20-S29). Intentional self-harm (X60-X84, Y87.0) accounted for 26.5% of total injuries with an External cause as the underlying cause of death, and of these, Asphyxiation (T71) was the most common injury (56.1%).

Care should be taken in interpreting numbers of suicide deaths. For further information, see Explanatory Notes 98-101. For more detailed analysis on suicides, see Chapter 5.